Half to william p



(No Model.)

J. D. WILCHER. CARPET STRE'I'GHER.

No. 600,129. Patented M-ar. 1,1898.

WITNESSES [NVgFNTOR 7 M mm m: Mourns PETERS co PMoTu-umo WASHINGTON o cUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. WILOHER, OF CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOWILLIAM P, STINE, OF SAME PLACE.

CARPET-STRETCHER.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,129, dated March 1,1898.

A li ti fil d November 4., 1897. Serial No. 657,454. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LJoHN D.WILCHER,a citizen of the United States,residing at Charleston, in the county of Kanawha and State of WestVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCarpet-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements, as hereinafter set forth, incarpet-stretchers.

The object of my invention is to produce a carpet-stretcher of simpleand cheap construction and by means of which carpets may be stretched ineither forward, rearward, or lateral direction without adjustment orremoval and repositioning of the stretcher from position of contact withthe carpet.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the stretchercomplete. Fig.

-2 is a detail view, partly broken away, of the operative lever. Fig. 3represents an under side perspective view of a portion of thestretcher-block.

The stretcher proper consists of a rectangular block 1, having a smoothand flat top face 2, on which when in use either the foot or the knee ofthe user may be pressed to maintain contact thereof with the carpet. Theunder face a of the stretcher is provided with a series of quadrupleteeth 3 4: 5 6, said series extending over the entire under face andeach individual member of the series of said teeth having curved orrounded upper portions 7 and beveled or outwardly-curved points,8 extending in four opposite directions, as shown, whereby contact is had byeach quadruple series of teeth with the carpet in four distinct placesand in radial directions, so that in Whichever direction it may bedesired to stretch the carpet the exertion of force horizontally on saidblock in such direction will by reason of the contact of said teeth withthe carpet at four opposite points result in the stretching of thecarpet in the desired direction without necessitating the removal of thefoot or knee pressure on or adjustment in position of said block. Bythis construction of teeth sufficient gripping contact with the carpetis had at all times to insure the stretching of the carpet, while at thesame time entirely preventing any danger of the carpet tearing under thestretching strain. The block 1, with toothed under face, may be formedintegrally, if desired; but I prefer to form the block 1 of somesuitable material, as wood, and to form the carpet-gripping portion a ofsheet metal and to punch up therein the series of carpet-gripping teethdescribed and then secure the under portion a to the block 1 in somesuitable manneras, for instance, by turning up the edges 9 and secur ingsaid edges to the edges of the block 1.

10 11 12 represent operative-lever connections extending from theopposite ends and one or both sides, respectively, of the block 1, saidlever connections being of hook form and having their hooks extendingupwardly, as shown, to receive the hinge and spring link 13, carried bythe operative lever 14. By supplying the stretcher with such leverconnections at opposite edges the lever can,without shifting thestretcher-block or removing the foot or knee pressure thereon, bereadily placed in operative contact with either end or side of thestretchenblock,accordin g to whichever direction it may be desired tomove said stretcher-block, and stretch the carpet. The lever 14 may beof any suitable material, and has at its lower end a bearing or fulcrumpoint 15, which in use in movingthe stretcher acts as a fulcrum to drawthe stretcher-block in the desired direction. WVhen said lever is formedof Wood, said fulcrum-point 15 is secured thereto by a ferrule 16. 17represents a transverse slot or hole formed in said lever near its lowerend. Within this slot or hole the upper portion of the link 13 hasspring and hinge bearing, the free upper ends of said link being curvedor bent, as shown at 18, and crossed the one over the other, as shown at19, whereby said ends will have spring bearing the one on the otherwithin said slot 17, which construction lessens the friction of saidlink Within its seat and also maintains the link always in position forengagement with the lever connections on the stretcher-block.

, The construction of my device is very simple and it can be readily andcheaply manufactured and is very simple and effective in operation. Thecarpet to be stretched havin g been laid, the stretcher-block is laidthereon points down at the portion needing stretching. The user thenplaces either a foot or a knee on the upper plane-faced portion andslips the lower portion of the link 13 into engagement with that one ofthe hook-shaped lever connections 10, 11, or 12 in the plane in whichthe stretching is to be eifected. The upper portion of the lever 14' isthen drawn rearwardly and the point 15 placed in engagement with thecarpet in advance of the block. The upper portion of the lever is thenpushed forward, which act will necessarily draw in the same directionthe stretcher-block,which, as it moves forward, carries with it andstretches the carpet with which its teeth are in engagement. Therequisite stretching of the carpet at such point being thus effected andthe carpet tacked down at that point, should it be desired to stretchthe carpet laterally all that is necessary is to simply remove the linkfrom engagement with the hook with which it is in engagement and placeit in engagement with that hook connection at the edge of the blockl inthe plane of the direction in which the additional stretching is to beeifected and then proceed as before stated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- A carpet-stretcherconsisting of a block having a plane-faced top and, on its under side, aseries of teeth each member of said series being composed of a subseriesof quadruple and curved teeth extending outwardly in four oppositedirections, a plurality of lever connections extending horizontally fromthe side and end edges, respectively, of said block and having upturnedhook-shaped outer ends, an operative lever having a pointed lower endand a transverse slot above said point, and a link depending from saidlever and having at its upper portion spring and pivotal seat bearing inthe transverse slot in said lever, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN D. \VILCIIER.

Witnesses:

S. B. AVIS, MYRTLE W. HALL.

